Brockley Jon has popped into The Amersham Arms several times since it re-opened under the Lock Tavern management team.

What was not to love about the old smoky Amersham where you could turn up and dance with a drunken Irish man any night of the week, at practically any time, but in the interest of you the readers of Brockley Central, we will try to put the old pub out of our mind and give the new Amersham a fair hearing!

It's a hard act to follow, but we have to say, we like what they've done with the place - it's not drastically different, just a bit more trendy, more eclectic.

Service is usually fine, but at busy times can be slow - especially as they have decided to offer novelty cocktails, involving copious amounts of crushed ice (for which each drink requires a trip to the blender), hand sprinkled mint, swizzle sticks and sparklers! All good fun, but not for us Brockley boys who just want a pint of bitter (perhaps we have spent too long in the Wickham?).

Tables are also quite hard to come by, but do grab one and try the food. Although our burgers last time took about 30 minutes to come, at £6ish they were very good. There was a decent amount of chips and a nice dip too. The roasts are also something to write home about, we're reliably informed (and the comments below echo this).

All in all, we'd say it's a good meeting place for a chat and some food, with a decent vibe, and a trendy crowd. The kind of place that Brockley is crying out for.

It should also be said that there is a gallery upstairs, Take Courage, and a club next door, the old Catapult Club, neither of which we've had a chance to try out yet.

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I went there on Sunday. We had roast lamb. THe lab was really well cooked, the gravy was excellent (proper gravy, not packet stuff) the yorkshire pudding a perfect mix of crunch and gooiness. The carrots and brockley had a crunch to them and tasted fresh and full of flavour as did the runner beans. It was proper food, nothing cooked to much. the music and ambiance was good, the atmosphere was nice. it looks great too. It is a bit pricy (the Sunday roast is £9.50) but the service and food are very very good. You get what you pay for at the end of the day and that was infinitely better than the warmed up stodge they serve in JD Weatherpoons etc. There was plenty of it too.I'd definately go back. Shame I'm moving! Bugger.

I'm confused by your post Leenewham as The Amersham was reviewed last week in one of the Freebie newspapers and it said this:

The Amersham Arms, New Cross In a forgotten corner of New Cross, the restored Amersham Arms breathes new life into an old-fashioned boozer. The oh-so-now refit - dark wood, sprawling sofas, outdoor smoking space - attracts a stylish indie crowd from miles around.

The Amersham is embracing the pub roast revolution with its cool carvery. Choose from beef, pork or chicken (or a veggie option) complete with roasties, homemade Yorkshire puds, stuffing and real gravy. And, unbelievably for the price - £5 before 1pm, £6 between 1pm and 2pm; £7 after 2pm - you can eat as much as you like. Follow with apple crumble or treacle sponge and custard for £1.50 each with a roast dinner. There's entertainment, too, from film quizzes to musical bingo, complete with kitsch prizes.The Amersham Arms, 388 New Cross Road, New Cross, 020 8469 1499, amersham-arms.co.uk

I'd heard that about the roast lunches, but I think that's a new offer - perhaps they were £9.50 before...

Moira, re the entry fee, it's probably because they had bands on - wherever you go in London, if you want to see live music you usually have to pay a fiver or so to get in

I've had some good nights at the Amersham Arms, and they have some pretty good acts on! It's an asset to the area I think - previously the pub was such an old dive on the edge of closure. Vive the new New Cross image!

Forgot to add - I'm very aware of the costs to see live music - I've been around a few years! That's one of the reasons I started the Brockley Max; the free events give the whole community access to live music.Moira

Awesome place. Owned and run by the same folk behind The Lock in Camden. It's certainly more Camden than Clapham. Thank God! Best the area has to offer. I guess we have be pay the high prices to keep the raff out though. Well worth it!

Have been there a couple of times on a Friday night, so haven't eaten there. I think I'm a bit old for it, to be honest - it's very much aimed at the 20something uni crowd. Having said that, it's a nice place to have a beer (if you can get a seat) and certainly loads better than what was there before. I think this is what the Walpole initially tried to do before falling back on the horror of large tvs and karaoke nights.

You live in New Cross for years waiting for a decent pub, and then two come along at once (Royal Albert). Long may it continue.

As mentioned by Becky of Brockley, there is indeed a fantastic jazz jam on Tuesdays, but as I am the promoter, perhaps I am biased. Anyway, if you haven't been down already, don't hesitate to come and make your own mind up. I'd be interested to hear your comments. We're there every Tuesday, 8.30pm-midnight. £3/£2 conc. Check out our blog at: www.amjamjazz.blogspot.comSee you there!

leenewham - you wuz robbed if you paid £9.50, unless you're including the cost of a pudding too...? Have so far managed to get in before 2pm, so have never paid more than £6.50 and it's been well worth it. The house wine is not bad, and not horribly expensive either. It's a good addition to the area.

Well .... a bunch of went in on a saturday evening into the back bar, didn't have to pay, earlier part of late evening ..... people nice, music very very dull. I like good house music but i though the dj lacked any original or inspiring music, so we left after an hour or so. I'll admit though it's bloody handy for gigs and stuff rather than trecking to another part of town.

Headed into the pub one night to try it out under the new regime, I was pounced on by two men in overcoats, who said nothing but, 'Scuse us...' One then ran his hands all over my body, stopping just south of my nether regions (where it has to be said I am quite sensitive), and said,'Okay, you can go in!'The two then fell into conversation with a woman who was dressed like them. Would I be right in saying that the Amersham is now gay?

The Amersham is now more of a music venue than a pub, sometimes you can go into the front bar for free if there's nothing much on but when there's a gig/club night on there is no separation between the front bar and the rest so its fair enough that they charge to get in to the front bar - since anybody going in to the bar could wander into the gig for which everyone else is paying. Incidentally the Catapult is not a separate club, I think its the side entrance to the Amersham which might still have the Catapult sign, the latter being a regular night in the Amersham.

I went on a Saturday night. I can report that the music stage at the rear of the building, what used to be the Catapult club. Well, it hasn't changed. A bare stage and the sound desperately compromised by the concrete pillars and beams in the ceiling.It all looks a bit shabby.